Buffing and polishing composition and method of using the same



Patented Sept. 22, 1936 PATENT OFFICE BUFFING AND POLISHING COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME Paul R. Pine, Elyria, Ohio, assignor to The Chandler Chemical Company, Cleveland, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio No Drawing. Application February I, 1985, Serial No. 5,493

20 Claims.

This invention relates to a bufilng and polishing composition. In bufling, polishing and such treating of brass, copper, nickle, or other base metals, usually for finishing, or preparatory to plating, the present practice is to apply on the polishing surface compositions comprising wax, tallow, stearic acid and other well known binders having uniformly distributed therethrough such abrasives as comminuted or finely powdered lime,

l0 silica, tripoli and emery dust, and the like, all of which are insoluble in water and alkaline cleaners. Such mixtures applied to the wheel are necessarily transferred by it to the article during the polishing or bufling operation.

After the polishing and buffing operations, the article is washed in a suitable bath,.usually an aqueous solution of alkali, which removes the major portion of the composition, the binder, under the action of the alkali bath, being dissolved, emulsified or saponified by the alkali solution so as to free the abrasive. The larger portion of the abrasive is then free to be removed readily and usually is readily washed off mechanically by the same alkali bath. Forsome reason, however, a very fine film of the insoluble abrasive, especially of the most finely comminuted particles, remains on the article and, if plating is to follow, deleterious'ly affects the subsequent plating operation. The complete removal of this residual film is very difficult and expensive, requires thorough scrubbing, and is a wholly mechanical operation.

More recently, there has been developed a process known as. bright nickle plating, in which a bright nickle plate requiring very little or no bufflng itself is deposited over a highly buffed surface of the metal product to be bright plated. If the residual film of abrasive above described remains on the surface which is plated by a bright process, it tends either to show I through the plating coat, or, at least, to cause the plated surface overlying it to have a different appearance from the remainder of the surface,

and thus be objectionable to the trade.

Another disadvantagevof-some prior compositions for polishing andbufllng is that they deteriorate when exposed to air for a day or so. For example, many include lime as an abrasive and the lime, when exposed to air, hydrates and carbonates, disintegrating the material or stick in which it is formed for use and rendering it unfit.

One of the most important objects of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a polishing and bumng composition in which not only the binder is soluble, saponifiable, or emulsiflablein cleaning bath.

the particular cleaning bath used but also in which all or the larger portion of the abrasive or polishing agentis soluble, preferably in the same cleaning bath, so that the composition in its entirety may be dissolved and thus removed from I the product without the necessity of any mechanical action for its removal. u

Another object is to provide a material of this character which can be left exposed indefinitely.

readily molded into the usual stick form and which is sufliciently hard to be applied to the 15 bufling or polishing wheel in the usual manner and without undue waste.

In order to illustrate the use of the invention, it will be specifically described as a composition for use on articles that are to be cleaned by sub- 20 jecting them to an alkali cleaning bath, the broader controlling characteristics of the ele-, ments being defined so that the modifica'tio'ns necessary to be made for utilizing the invention in connection with other industrial cleaning 25 baths are clearly apparent. I

As stated above, it is a general practice to subiect articles which have been buffed or polished to an alkali cleaning bath comprising the usual industrial aqueous alkali solution of from 3 to 30 8% concentration. In such a solution, there is a great excess of water available for dissolving a water soluble abrasive material.

As general examples of the present composition as used in connection with an alkali cleaning bath. the binder may comprise stearic acid, tallow, hydrogenated fats and fatty acids, such as hydrogenated cottonseed oil and fatty acids derived therefrom, synthetic fatty acids derived from hydrocarbon, glue and mixtures of the 40 above, and any of the well known binders commonly used for such purposes, and preferably those which remain hard at normal room temperature. The important characteristic of the binder used is that it should be soluble, saponi- 45, fiable or emulsifiable and preferably in the particular cleaning solution used for the product in the usual concentration suitable for industrial use for such cleaning and that it should be essentially inert or inactive relative to the abrasive 50 used in connection therewith, both while in the stick and while the binder and abrasive are together in the same bath. The above binders are soluble, emulsiflable, or saponiflable in an an reinforcing core in nited States Letters William H. Chanditlecl Applicator for bricants.

1e abrasives may be poli etc., and part Jf the abrasive will it mechanical treatof the abrasive disdue to the fact the i by the soluble paron of the latter, the uported'thereby and r without any conace tension holding abrasive and soluble l% insoluble to 80% can the article is to shing, and the tend- Ie to adhere to the f cleanliness is nec- 1 entirely soluble to :entages of insoluble a coarser abrasive utilized. lied to the wheel or the usual manner or polished thereie customary prac- .cle is placed in the llch it may be reis then perfectly scrubbing or other to mar the surface. be found which inand saponifiable" dissolve" have been oluble, emulsifiable id part another, as )e obtained as well been described for naterial it will be it important charntion are that the thereof, is readily 2 and thus may be rticle without menvention,'

urposes described. material and comiistributed therei being completely irposes described, ous binder mate- The abrasive or polishing agent for use in connection with an alkali cleaning bath may comprise soluble salts such as sodium chloride (NaCl); sodium sulphate (Na2SO4); sodium carbonate (NazCOa) {sodium tetraborate (N82B40'l) sodium silicates having various ratios of SiOz to NazO substantially of from 3.25 to 1, sodium metaphosphate, sodium pyrophosphate and the potassium salts corresponding to all of the above sodium salts and mixtures of any of the above.

The preferred characteristics of the salts or abrasives are that they or the larger portion thereof are soluble in the same bath as the binder, for example, in the aqueous alkali solution, and are hard enough to cut or polish the article to be treated, depending upon the use to which to beput. Any such soluble solids as well as the above i salts having these characteristics are satisfactory as abrasives, though some are more effective than others. Again, though'all the advantages of the soluble salts are not present, other fillers soluble or otherwise removable by the same cleaning'agent as that used to remove the binder, may be used.

In addition to the illustrative examples, eflicient results are obtained in some instances by using part insoluble abrasive and part soluble, though the latter should be in excess of the former. The soluble portion of the abrasive may be such as is removableby a different cleaning bath than the binder, though these are not as desirable as those removable by the same bath.. For example, the abrasive may be removable by an acid bath, while the binder is removable by an alkali bath. The important characteristic of the abrasive is that it, or the larger portion of it, may be removed by other than mechanical means, as by some chemical cleansing agent.

In addition to these individual characteristics, the binder and abrasive should have the conjoint characteristics that they will not react on each other in the normal condition in which stored or in the presence of the particular cleaning solutions or agents used to remove either and either together or individually will not form insoluble compounds with the cleaning solutions or agents used or render the agents incapable of reacting properly on the other or all the materials to be dissolved. The above abrasive materials are readily soluble in an aqueous solution of alkali suitable for cleaning.

The following are exemplary compositions which have been found highly satisfactory for use in connection with alkali cleaning solutions.

(a) Stearic acid, by weight, 10% to 50%-preferred 25%; sodium sulphate, by weight, to 50%-preferred 75%.

(b) Stearic acid, by weight, 20%, tallow 5%, powdered fused borax 25%, sodium sulphate 50%.

The fineness of the abrasive is, of course, deter- :mined by the material operated upon, the finish desired, its degree of hardness, and whether to be used for polishing or buiflng. Filler of from to 400 mesh fineness has been found highly satisfactory.

In order to mix the materials, the stearic acid or binder used is melted by heating and the finely comminut'ed abrasive is stirred thereinto can readily be cast with a the manner described in U Patent No. 1,970,545, issued ti ler on August 21, 1934, ent polishing compounds and lu In those cases in which tl part insoluble, such as "Tri soluble, the insoluble part 1 drop 01f of the article withot ment when the soluble part solves. This appears to be insoluble particles are isolater ticles, and, upon the dissoluti insoluble particles are unsu; left isolated from each othe tinuous surface film or surf, them on the article.

The ratio of the insoluble z abrasive is preferably about 2| soluble, depending on how cl be, how it is treated after poli: ency of the insoluble abrasii work. When a high degree 0: essary, the ratio may be fron 50% soluble. The higher pert abrasive may be used when which falls ofi readily can be In use, the material is appl movable finishing surface in and the articles then bufied against in accordance with tl tice. When polished, the arti alkali bath solution from wl moved and water rinsed. I1 clean without any mechanical operation, which might tend 1 No word or expression can 1 cludes soluble, emulsifiable and the words soluble" and i used in the claims to mean s or saponifiable, or part one a1 the result to be effected can i in one case as in another.

While suitable binders have use in connection with the 1 readily apparent that the mo: acteristics of the present inve abrasive, or a sufficient part soluble in the cleaning solutioi entirely removed from the a1 chanical action.

Having thus described my 11 I claim:

1. A composition for the p comprising a mass of binder n adhering to a rotary polishing relatively thereagainst and abr tributed therethrough, both i being soluble in the same soli presence of each other therein 2. A composition for the p comprising a mass of binder r minuted abrasive material c through, said abrasive materia soluble in water.

3. A. composition for the pi comprising a mass of amorph 5. A composition for the purposes described. comprising a mass of binder material and comminuted abrasive material distributed therethrough, a substantial part of said abrasive material being soluble in water. I

6. A composition for the purposes described, comprising a mass of binder material capable of adhering to a rotary polishing wheel when rubbed relatively thereagainst and abrasive material distributed therethrough, both of said materials being soluble in an aqueous alkali solution while in the presence of each other therein.

9. A composition for the purposes described, comprising a binder of fatty acid material and comminuted abrasive material soluble in a bath which is both capable of dissolving the fatty acid material and suitablefor cleaning an article polished with the composition without deleteriously affecting the surface finish of the article durin the period of exposure to the bath required for cleaning the article.

10. A material for the purposes described, comprising, a binder of fatty acid material and comminuted water soluble salt distributed therethrough.

ii. A material for the purposes described, comprising, by weight, a mixture of stearic acid 10% to 50% and sodium sulphate 90% to 10%.

12. A material for the purposes described, comprising a mixture of stearic acid and sodium sulphate in the ratio, by weight, of about 1 part of stearic acid toabout 3 parts sodium sulphate.

13. A material for the purposes described, comprising a binder of fatty acid material, emulsifiable, saponifiable or soluble in an aqueous alkali solution and comminuted abrasive water soluble filler material distributed therethrough, said materials being substantially inactive with respect to each other in the presence of the aqueous, alkali solution.

14'. A composition for the purpose described, comprising a binder material emulsifisble, saponifiabie or soluble in a cleaning agent suitable for cleaning an article polished with said composition without deleteriously affecting the surface finish of the article during the period of application'of the agent required for cleaning the article and comminuted abrasive material distributed therethrough and soluble in the same cleaning agent, said materials being substantially inactive with respect to each other in the presence of the cleaning agent.

15. A composition for the purposes described,

comprising a mass of-binder material and abra sive material distributed therethrough, said materials being substantially inert with respect to each other when so mixed, and each of said materials being soluble in liquid cleaning baths suitable for cleaning an article polished with said composition without deleteriously aifecting the surface finish of the article during the period of exposure of said article to said baths required for cleaning the article.

16. A composition for the purposes described. comprising a mass of binder material and abrasive materials distributed therethrough, all of said materials being substantially inert with respect to each other when so mixed, at least half 'of the abrasive material being soluble in a cleaning bath suitable for cleaning the article polished with said composition without deleteriously affecting the surface finish of the article during the period of exposure of the article to said bath for cleaning purposes and while in the presence of the other materials in said bath while in the presence of the other materials therein.

17. The method of polishing articles against polishing surfaces which includes applying on the polishing surface a quantity of binding material soluble in an alkaline cleaning bath, and water soluble abrasive filler material, polishing the article with said polishing surface, and subjecting the article to an aqueous alkali cleaning bath for a sufficient interval to dissolve and thus remove both materials, whereby the polished surface is clean and unmarred.

18. The method of polishing articles against polishing surfaces which includes applying on the polishing surface a polishing composition including abrasive material soluble in a cleaning agent suitable for cleaning the article to be polished without deleteriousiy affecting the surface finish of the article during the usual time of exposure of the article to the agent for cleaning, polishing the article with said polishing surface, and subjecting the article to said cleaning agent for a sufficient interval to remove the abrasive material, whereby the polished surface is clean and unmarred.

19. The method of polishing articles comprising applying to the articles a polishing compound including a mass of binder material and abrasive material distributed therethrough, both of the materials being soluble in a cleaning agent suitable for cleaning the article to be polished. polishing the article with said composition and subjecting the article to the said cleaning agent for a sufficient interval to remove and loosen the composition, whereby the polished surface is clean and unmarred.

20. The method of polishing articles comprising applying to the article a polishing composition including binder material and abrasive filler distributed therethrough, said abrasive and binder being soluble in cleaning agents suitable the article with said composition and subjecting the article to said cleaning mnts.

PAUL R. FINE. 

